Horrible huge leylandi hedges...

[Glutton4...]

Buy/borrow/beg/steal a chipper, and remove branches on a daily/weekly basis, and build up a lovely big pile of woodchips for future use.

The ground won't actually be as 'dead' as you are expecting, and you don't have to remove the stumps, you can cut them off at, or just below, ground level, and plant between them.

I hope your OH isn't in any pain, and that he is sorted soonest!

If you were nearer...

If I had time...

[WendyC]

When we had a Leylandi hedge removed the method used was to remove all branches and cut off the trunk at about 4-5 foot and use this to rock the stump out of the ground. Best thing we did on moving here 15 years ago. The garden faces due south and was really shady! Neighbours happy too.